cadalyst
Manufacturing

Arena Solutions Expands Support for SolidWorks PDM Products

23 Jan, 2008

Integration aims to improve new product introduction and change management and manufacturing outsourcing processes.


Arena Solutions, a provider of on-demand product lifecycle management (PLM) software for manufacturers, announced this week that the company plans to expand support for SolidWorks product data management (PDM) software with its intention to build a new integration between Arena PLM and PDMWorks Enterprise corresponding with the release of SolidWorks 2009. Similar to the integration that has existed since 2004 between PDMWorks Workgroup and Arena PLM, the new PDMWorks Enterprise integration reportedly will improve the transfer of mechanical design data managed in PDMWorks Enterprise software to on-demand Arena PLM, a single central repository that enables companies to define, control, and securely share product information throughout their extended enterprise.

"We are pleased Arena has chosen to develop a new integration for PDMWorks Enterprise so our customers with more complex requirements and the need for PLM can leverage Arena PLM," said Efrat Ravid, director of marketing alliances, SolidWorks.

The new Arena PLM PDMWorks Enterprise integration reportedly will control and automate the flow of mechanical CAD files and specifications to Arena PLM, where mechanical designs are combined with product information from other disciplines such as electronics subsystems, sourcing, and manufacturing, to create the complete definition of the product.

In addition to the new integration, the company reports that improvements will also be made to the existing PDMWorks Workgroup integration, helping to further streamline the transfer of design data into Arena PLM for Workgroup users.

"Manufacturers who aren't already taking advantage of the benefits of taking their well-defined design and engineering environment and connecting it to their extended product and operations teams with Arena PLM should certainly consider it," said Craig Livingston, CEO, Arena Solutions. "Arena PLM can effectively extend the value of users' investment in SolidWorks PDM software. Used together, the software can certainly help companies bring superior products to market more quickly and at a lower cost."

Manufacturers such as Desktop Factory and TissueLink Medical are among the SolidWorks users that are adopting Arena PLM to help them better manage their design through manufacturing processes.